Ratchet-actuated open-end wrench



S P v1950 A. E. G. SELLEVRS 2,521,419

RATCHE T-ACTUATED OPEN-END WRENCH Filed June 4, 1946- Patented Sept. 5, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- 2,521,419 RATCHET-ACTUATED OPEN-END WRENCH Albert E. G. Sellers, Radnor, Pa.

Application June 4, 1946, Serial N 0. 674,210

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in wrenches, and more particula ly to wrenches of the end type.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wrench of the type described which is actuable in either direction by a very short throw or movement of the wrench handlethereby enabling the wrench to be used in close places to turn nuts or bolts which could not otherwise be loosened or tightened.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wrench of the character described which operates on the ratchet principle and is easily and readily operated in either direction with a very small movement or throw of the wrench handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved wrench having the features and characteristics set forth which is of comparatively simplified and inexpensive construction and highly efilcient and effective to use.

These and other objects of the invention and the various features and details of the construction and operation thereof are hereinafter fully set forth and described .with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a wrench made according to the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the wrench showing certain of the actuating members in disengaged relation in respect to the movable jaw portion of the wrench.

Fig. 3 is a view generally similar to Fig. 2 showing the actuating members in operative engagement with the movable jaw member of the wrench.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 44, Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detached view in perspective showing a control member for engaging and disengaging the actuating members with the movable jaw member of the wrench.

Fig. 6 is a detached view in perspective of one of the actuating members of the wrench.

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective of a spring or resilient member which is employed in conjunction with each actuating member; and

Fig. 8 is a detached .view in perspective of a plate or partition employed in the head portion of the wrench.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, a wrench made according to the present invention comprises a generally Y-shaped handle I, including an elongated hand grip portion 2 and a head portion 3 consisting of a part 4 which is I which is radiallyv slotted as indicated at 8 to provide opposed work-engaging faces or jaw portions 9, 9. The jaw member I is rotationally confined or retained within the head 3 of the wrench by means of inwardly directed semicircular flanges l0, Ill formed integrally with the portions 4 and 5 of the wrench head 3 and which are arranged to slidably engage within circular grooves or tracks II, II formed in opposite faces of the rotatable jaw member 1 adjacent the periphery thereof as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawmg.

Formed on the peripheral or edge face of the jaw member 1 is a series of ratchet teeth or the like i2 which are adapted to be selectively engaged by the teeth of sets of actuating members I 4, I4 and l5, 15, respectively, arranged in pairs at opposite sides of the centerline of the wrench. One pair of the actuating members l4 and I5 is mounted for sliding movement radially with respect to the rotatable jaw 1 within a chamber 11,

provided in the wrench head portion 3 at one side of the centerline of the wrench, and the other pair of the actuating members l4 and I5 is similarly mounted within a chamber 18 at the opposite side of the centerline of the wrench. The actuating members of each pair thereof are separated from one another by means of an arcuate plate l9 which is disposed therebetween and secured intermediate the wrench head portions 4 and 5 by the aforesaid screws 6, for example, as shown in Figs. 4 and 8 of the drawing. The provision of this plate I9 makes it easier for the pairs of actuating members to slide or move radially with respect to one another.

The actuating members l5, l5 of each pair of members are provided with teeth constructed and arranged, when engaged with the teeth l2 on the periphery of the jaw member I, to rotate said jaw member relative to the handle I in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 3 of the. drawing upon back and forth oscillation of the said handle I in the directions indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 of the drawings. Conversely, the teeth of the other actuating members I4, [4 of each pair are constructed and arranged so that when they are engaged with the teeth I! of the jaw member I, back and forth oscillation of the handle member I will operate to rotate the jaw member in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2 of the drawing.

Associated with each of the actuating members I I, I4 and |5, I5 is suitable spring means arranged normally to urge said actuating members into tions of th chambers and |8 in the wrench head 3, for example, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. In addition, there is associated with each of the actuating members, I4 and l5, IS an operating stud or the like 2| which is secured to the actuating member and extends radially outward therefrom through suitable openings provided in the wrench head portion 3. The studs 2| extend a predetermined distance beyond the peripheral edge of the head 3 and terminate at their outer orfree ends in enlarged spherical or other shaped portions 22 as illustrated.

To effect operation of the wrench in the described manner, suitable control members 25 are provided to effect engagement of. a selected set of the actuating members ll, H or I5, l5, as the case may be, with the teeth |2 of the movable jaw member I while at the same time maintaining the other of said sets of actuating members disengaged from the teeth of the jaw member 1 against the force of their associated springs 20. Thecontrolmembers 25 are slidably disposed upon circumferentially extending flat surface portions 21 formed on the edge surface of the wrench head 3 and arranged chordal to the center of rotation of the jaw member 1 with the studs 2| centered with respect to the longitudinal dimension of said flat portions 21. The control members 25 have a lengthwise extending tongue 29 which is adapted to be received within a guideway or groove 3| that extends centrally lengthwise of the flats 21 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 of the drawing.

With reference particularly to Fig. of the drawing, the control members 25 each comprise inwardly facing oppositely inclined cam surfaces 33 and 34, and these are slotted longitudinally of the control members as indicated at 35 and 36 to receive anoperating stud 2| therein and move the same in a radially outward direction against the springs as the controlmember is moved relative to the stud to cause the enlarged end 22 thereof to be moved onto the outwardly oflfset surfaces of the control members where the enlarged portion 22 of the stud seats within detents or recesses 33 and 40 and is retained against accidental displacement by the springs 20. The cam surfaces 33 and 34 of the control members are arranged longitudinally with respect to each other so that when one stud 2| is engaged by a control member as described the associated jaw actuator member is held in disengaged relation with respect to the jaw member I while the other stud of such pair and its associated actuator member are free to engage the teeth |2 of the rotatable jaw 1 under the urging of the associated springs 2|].

Thus, in operation of a wrench made according to the present invention, and for purposes of illustration it will be assumed that the jaw is to be rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 of the drawing, with the several parts of the wrench in the relative positions shown in the drawing, the control members 25 are actuated manually from the positions shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing into the positions shown in Fig. 3 thereby disengaging the studs 2| of the actuator members l5, l5 from said control members so that the springs 20 associated with said actuators will operate to move the same radially inward from the disengaged position shown in said Fig. 2 into engagement with the teeth |2 of the rotatable jaw member I as illustrated in said Fig. 3

of the drawing.

Simultaneously, movement of the control members 25 as described engages the studs 2| associated with the actuator members l4, [4 thereby forcing the latter radially outward so that their teeth are disengaged from the teeth l2 of the jaw member 1 during engagement of the actuators |5, |5 therewith, the control members 25 serving to hold said actuators l4, H in the disengaged position against their associated springs 20 with the heads 22 of said studs seated within the detents or recesses 33 and 40 of the control members, as previously described. With the actuator members arranged as described it will be apparent that back and forth oscillation of the handle I in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 1 will cause the jaw member 1 to be rotated step-by-step in the direction indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawing. I

Conversely, and in order to rotate the jaw member in the reverse or opposite direction it is necessary merely to move th control members from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the position of Fig. 2,.thereby disengaging the actuator members |5, |5 from the teeth |2 of the jaw I and simultaneously engaging the other actuator members |4, M with said jaw member in the manner herein previously described.

On the other. hand, it may be desirable in certain cases to lock the jaw member I relative to the handle I in which event this may be readily accomplished merely by positioning the control member so as to engage one of the actuator members l4 and one of the actuator members IS with the teeth of the jaw member I.

From the foregoing description, it will be observed that the present invention provides a novel and improved wrench which may be actuated in either direction by a very short throw or movement of the wrench handle thereby enabling the wrench to be used in close places to turn nuts or bolts which could not otherwise be loosened or tightened. The invention also provides a novel and improved wrench of the character set forth including a ratchet mechanism constructed and operable to permit work to be conveniently turned within very limited space and with a minimum'amount of effort on the part of the operator. The invention further provides a wrench having the features and characteristics set forth which is of comparatively simplified and inexpensive construction and highly efficient and effective in use, it being noted that the construction and arrangement of parts thereof is such that the control members for changing the direction of rotation of the jaw'member are disposed and arranged within easy access of the operators hand grasping the handle grip portion 2 of the wrench.

While a particular embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described herein it is not intended that said invention be limited to such disclosure and changes and modifications may be made therein and thereto within the scope of the claim.

of actuator members operable to effect selective engagement of said one and other actuator members of each pair independently of each other with the jaw member to thereby rotate the latter in a selective direction and also to efiect engagement of one actuator member of one pair and toward and away from said jaw member, one of teeth on each of said actuator members being each of a greater circumferential length than the circumferential distance between the opposed jaw faces defining said radial slot and the actuator members being constructed and arranged: circumferentially of said jaw member so that at least some of the teeth of at least one of the arcuate series of teeth of corresponding actuators of each pair are engageable with the teeth of said jaw member in all rotary positions of the latter regardless of the circumferential position of said radial slot therein in order that said jaw member can be rotated through one or more complete revolutions in either direction, and control means associated with each of said pairs the other actuator member of the other pair simultaneously with said jaw member to thereby lock the latter against rotation in either direction.

ALBERT E. G. SELLERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 174,745 Squire Mar. 14, 1876 395,865 Abrams Jan. 8, 1889 466,564 Hall Jan. 5, '1892 538,525 Kleinfeldt Apr. 30, 1895 657,512 Carter et a1. Sept. 11, 1900 679,929 Webster Aug. 6, 1901 731,886 George June 23. 1903 749,588 Smith Jan. 12, 1904 968,080 Repass Aug. 23, 1910 r 973,779 Hansen Oct. 25, 1910 1,060,185 Hitt Apr. 29, 1913 1,373,180 Durgan et al Mar. 29, 1921 1,815,804 Siess et a] July 21, 1931 FoREiGN PATENTS,

Number 1 ,Country Date 18,561 Great Britain Aug. 12. 1909 

